Twitter co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey (Photo: Richard Drew, Associated Press) Twitter stock has skyrocketed by more than 20% after a Friday-morning report from CNBC said that the company was moving closer to a sale and that Google and Salesforce were among the interested suitors.
Google and Salesforce aren't the only companies eyeing Jack Dorsey's startup, according to the report, which noted "several" potential bidders.
Bloomberg reported that Goldman Sachs is helping Twitter talk to potential buyers.
Twitter declined to comment in a statement to Bloomberg.
Google declined to comment on the report. Salesforce also declined to comment.
TechCrunch is reporting that Verizon is also interested. Verizon owns TechCrunch parent company AOL and is also in the process of buying Yahoo. A Verizon representative declined to comment to Business Insider.
A source familiar with Verizon mergers and acquisitions said there had been no talks between the two companies.
TechCrunch also reports that Microsoft might be interested in buying Twitter. A Microsoft representative declined to comment.
A formal bid could be submitted soon, though CNBC noted that a Twitter sale would still be a ways away.
A sale by the end of the year is within the realm of possibility, according to CNBC's source.
Twitter's market cap reached about $15 billion Friday, which limits the number of companies that can afford to make an acquisition.
While Google's name has been floated frequently over the past year as a likely candidate to buy Twitter, the introduction of Salesforce to the fray of interested companies comes as a bit of a head-scratcher.
Salesforce executive Vala Afshar tweeted out a short breakdown of "Why Twitter?" on Friday morning, highlighting the company's network, real-time news, and promotional platform as reasons the enterprise company would be interested.
Twitter's stock has been under pressure for months, as the company struggles to boost user growth. Its plummeting value has sparked constant speculation that Twitter could become an acquisition target.
Twitter and its board reportedly discussed cost cutting and a potential sale during a big board meeting on September 8, though the company didn't have any bids at the time.
Google and Salesforce aren't the only companies eyeing Jack Dorsey's startup, according to the report, which noted "several" potential bidders.
Bloomberg reported that Goldman Sachs is helping Twitter talk to potential buyers.
Twitter declined to comment in a statement to Bloomberg.
Google declined to comment on the report. Salesforce also declined to comment.
TechCrunch is reporting that Verizon is also interested. Verizon owns TechCrunch parent company AOL and is also in the process of buying Yahoo. A Verizon representative declined to comment to Business Insider.
A source familiar with Verizon mergers and acquisitions said there had been no talks between the two companies.
TechCrunch also reports that Microsoft might be interested in buying Twitter. A Microsoft representative declined to comment.
A formal bid could be submitted soon, though CNBC noted that a Twitter sale would still be a ways away.
A sale by the end of the year is within the realm of possibility, according to CNBC's source.
Twitter's market cap reached about $15 billion Friday, which limits the number of companies that can afford to make an acquisition.
While Google's name has been floated frequently over the past year as a likely candidate to buy Twitter, the introduction of Salesforce to the fray of interested companies comes as a bit of a head-scratcher.
Salesforce executive Vala Afshar tweeted out a short breakdown of "Why Twitter?" on Friday morning, highlighting the company's network, real-time news, and promotional platform as reasons the enterprise company would be interested.
Twitter's stock has been under pressure for months, as the company struggles to boost user growth. Its plummeting value has sparked constant speculation that Twitter could become an acquisition target.
Twitter and its board reportedly discussed cost cutting and a potential sale during a big board meeting on September 8, though the company didn't have any bids at the time.
The company has continued to roll out new features over the past month, but given Wall Street's reaction to Friday's report, investors are far more interested in a sale.
You can read CNBC's full report here.
By Steven Tweedie and Steve Kovach
You can read CNBC's full report here.
By Steven Tweedie and Steve Kovach
